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http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/05/10/meet-the-secret-worlds-tokyo-cast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/05/10/meet-the-secret-worlds-tokyo-cast/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Tokyo is coming -- no, really! -- to The Secret World later this month, and Funcom is fueling fans' anticipation by introducing to them several of the primary NPCs who will be in the new zone.

These characters include Sarah, a Council of Venice occult investigator; Gozen, a samurai leader who protects Japanese leadership from demons; Inbeda, an Oni demon mercenary; Daimon Kiyota, a leader of the Yakuza occult branch; and Kurt 'Buster' Kuszczak, an Orochi tank commander who is having a very bad day.

Interestingly enough, players have already met Sarah. She was the character through whom players explored the tutorial; we saw the aftermath of the Tokyo disaster through her eyes.

Tokyo NPCs
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buy-to-playcharactersfactionfantasyfuncomhorrorissue-9loremythologynpcnpcspreviewsci-fantasysecret-worldskill-basedsubscriptionlessthe-black-signalthe-secret-worldtokyotswSat, 10 May 2014 16:00:00 -0400319|20883650http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/16/the-daily-grind-what-famous-npcs-were-a-thrill-to-meet/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/16/the-daily-grind-what-famous-npcs-were-a-thrill-to-meet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/16/the-daily-grind-what-famous-npcs-were-a-thrill-to-meet/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Some of us who are perhaps more deeply invested in particular game worlds and lore tend to have a strong reaction when meeting the more famous members of the NPC cast. Perhaps it's a big name from another game in the series, a character that was prominently featured on the box art, or even a person who is synonymous with the franchise as a whole. Sometimes it's just a character that all of your friends have talked up and you're only getting to meet now.

I've certainly witnessed friends geeking out when they finally got to meet, say, Arthas or Gollum for the first time in a game. When I went back for a super-brief visit to Dungeons and Dragons Online, I felt a little shiver at bumping into Elminster in the newer content.

So what famous NPCs were a thrill to meet in the game -- and did you ask for their autograph?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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arthasdaily-grindddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineelminstergollumlorenpcnpcsopiniontdgthe-daily-grindSun, 16 Feb 2014 08:00:00 -0500319|20826705http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/08/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-story-post-2-1/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/08/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-story-post-2-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/08/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-story-post-2-1/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Something kind of surprising happened in Final Fantasy XIV's first major patch: The story kept chugging along quite coherently. And not just through the main story quests, either. Yes, the primary focus was obviously there, but there were a lot of things taking place, wheels within wheels, building on the narratives established in 1.0 and seriously working toward the next major set of events rather than simply being a set of padding.

I should warn readers, once again, that there will be spoilers for the game's story below. That includes both the patch story material and the main story from the core game. If you haven't finished the main story and unlocked the Crystal Tower yet, you may want to stay away. Or you can just read on ahead and be spoiled. I'm not going to tell you how you should enjoy your game stories. You should also finish the Hildibrand storyline, although I'm not spoiling that; it's just amusing.

In the early days of vanilla WoW, I played Alliance. It wasn't until after hitting 60 that I began playing Horde in earnest. Although I appreciated the bare, rough-and-tumble primitive nature of Orgrimmar, I always felt there was something missing -- namely, the NPCs that happily wandered Stormwind all day long. Orgrimmar didn't really have much of that sort of thing, back then. And of all the NPCs that wandered the human capital, none captured my attention so much as Ol' Emma.

Emma was at the time part of a quest chain that took place in the Western Plaguelands -- a ghost in the upper level of a house in Felstone Field asked players to deliver a package to her. But Emma's charms weren't just wrapped into that quest. Ol' Emma spent her days -- and still spends her days -- walking the streets of Stormwind. I first found her walking to the well near the flight path in Stormwind, griping about how nobody respects their elders. Laughing, I moved on, but months later on a whim I decided to follow Ol' Emma to see exactly where she takes all that water she's been supposedly hauling. To my surprise, Emma walking into a building near Cathedral Square, went up the stairs, and ... stopped, facing a wall, still talking to nobody in particular.

Unfortunately, this was kind of par for the course for NPCs back then.

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dave-maldonadonpc-pathingnpcsol-emmaorgrimmarpathingskyrimstormwindvirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftwow-npcsMon, 27 Jan 2014 16:00:00 -050099|20817004http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/20/not-so-massively-lols-lcs-tourney-star-citizens-death-mechan/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/20/not-so-massively-lols-lcs-tourney-star-citizens-death-mechan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/20/not-so-massively-lols-lcs-tourney-star-citizens-death-mechan/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Rumours over former World of Warcraft designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street's reasons for quitting were quelled when it was revealed that he's now a lead game designer at Riot Games. League of Legends also kicked off its 2014 competitive season with the first round of the Legends Champion Series. Dota 2 extended the deadline for its 3-D modeling competition until tonight, and Russian MOBA Prime World revealed plans to merge its English and Russian servers together.

Star Citizen's head honcho Chris Roberts answered more questions from fans this week, touching on topics from character death and contracts to NPC AI and playable alien races. The next stage of the Elite: Dangerous alpha was revealed to be a focused test of the multiplayer ship combat gameplay, but its release will cause the first beta stage to be delayed.

Diablo III enabled background downloading for its upcoming Patch 2.0.1 and the Reaper of Souls expansion, allowing players to download the game's 6GB pack of artwork and models ahead of launch day. The treasure hunters among you will also be happy to hear that dozens of legendary and set items have been significantly buffed in the latest public test realm patch. And a new infographic published on Path of Exile's hardcore new-year race shows that over 25,000 characters were made for the event and just over half survived the entire week.

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action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionaialien-racesaliensalphaalpha-testingbattlenetbetabeta-testingblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabenccp-gameschris-robertscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingcontractsd3david-brabendelaydelaysdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteesportesportseventf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsghostcrawlergothic-fantasygreg-streetgrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesinfographicleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayernewsnivalnot-so-massivelynpcsnsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepoeprime-worldpvevppvprace-eventreaper-of-soulsriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrussiarussianrussian-serverssandboxsci-fiserver-mergestar-citizenten-for-the-chairmanvalvevideowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 20 Jan 2014 20:00:00 -0500319|20811290http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/19/eve-evolved-has-colonisation-been-forgotten/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/19/eve-evolved-has-colonisation-been-forgotten/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/19/eve-evolved-has-colonisation-been-forgotten/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
At last year's EVE Online Fanfest, CCP revealed its ambitious plan to take the game where no sandbox MMO has ever gone before: full deep space colonisation. The plan will be delivered over the next five years and will end with the incredibly exciting vision of players building their own stargates and colonising brand-new solar systems that lie off the grid. Rubicon was intended as the first step toward this glorious plan, and its new focus on deployable sandbox structures certainly seemed to be introducing a more player-directed form of colonisation.

I've been cautiously optimistic about the whole endeavour so far, but five years is hell of a long time to wait for that vision to come to fruition. Rubicon's Mobile Depot structure was a great first step toward player-run empires on all scales, but none of the recently announced Rubicon 1.1 deployables has continued along the same theme of colonisation and exploration. The Mobile Micro Jump Drive and Mobile Scan Inhibitor structures I looked at last week provide extra tactical options in PvP, and the three new structures revealed this week are all designed to steal money and resources from nullsec corporations.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I ask whether the newly revealed Encounter Surveillance System and alternate Siphon Units are a step in the wrong direction. With games like Star Citizen and Elite: Dangerous on the way, CCP may not have five years to deliver the promise of colonisation.

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bountiesbountyccpccp-gamescolonisationdeep-spacedeep-space-colonisationdeployabledeployable-structureseliteelite-dangerousEncounter-Surveillance-Systemeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexplorationfeaturedfeaturesfuture-visiongame-developmentgame-mechanicsgameplayHybridnpcnpcsnullseconline-multiplayeropinionpvepvprattingRoterubiconsandboxsci-fisiphonSiphon-unitspace-colonisationspace-explorationstar-citizenstructurestructuresSun, 19 Jan 2014 18:00:00 -0500319|20811023http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/wow-moviewatch-what-are-npcs-thinking-4/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/wow-moviewatch-what-are-npcs-thinking-4/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/wow-moviewatch-what-are-npcs-thinking-4/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
The master of comedic commentary is back with What Are NPCs Thinking 4. It's a few minutes of hilarious interpretation of some of WoW's most iconic characters. Not the big ones like kings and war chiefs. No, this is that smug, self-satisfied snake statue or that clever auction goblin. This is probably my favorite Wowcrendor series; I don't think they get old.

I've always wondered what those ogres had in mind with their peculiar standing places. That's just not safe behavior. Ogres aren't the smarter critters in Azeroth, but you would think some basic self-preservation instinct might take over.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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featuredguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesnpcsow-machinimawhat-are-npcs-thinkingworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videoswowcrendorMon, 13 Jan 2014 18:00:00 -050099|20807215http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/15/the-daily-grind-what-npc-factions-are-a-total-joke/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/15/the-daily-grind-what-npc-factions-are-a-total-joke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/15/the-daily-grind-what-npc-factions-are-a-total-joke/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
That picture right up there is a perfect summation of the Orochi Group in The Secret World. Pretty much whenever you encounter them, they will have crashed, been blown up, been cut in half, been fried, or otherwise have decorated the landscape with their corpses. It's kind of hard to take the Orochi as anything other than the game's ongoing butt monkeys.

But they're not alone, are they? I'm quite fond of mocking the death-prone and general ineffectual nature of Lord of the Rings Online's Grey Company, and I'm sure that there are more. Today, let's poke a bit of fun at NPC factions that are a total joke. Which ones do you like to mock, if only in your head?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

As a sort of companion piece to my previous column covering why I consider The Secret World to be the industry's best storyteller, I wanted to elaborate on my love for the game's characters. TSW is not a game full of forgettable muggles but a place where bizarre personalities and incredible backstories collide. There was nothing, and I mean nothing, more exciting to me than to advance through the game and meet a new NPC for the first time.

So I want to share with you my favorites. I also want to mention that making this list just about wrenched me in twain because I want to list about 70% of the game's NPCs as my favorites. There are so many that are terrific for different reasons, and whether I found myself laughing with them, at them, or against them, they've been burned onto my consciousness.

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3-faction3-factionsbuy-to-playchaos-theorycharactersconspiracyconspiracy-thriillerdark-days-are-comingdragonfactionfaction-pvpfantasyfeaturedfuncomhorrorilluminatiloremythologynpcsopinionsci-fantasysecret-worldsecret-world-chaos-theoryskill-basedsubscriptionlesstemplarsthe-secret-worldthe-secret-world-chaos-theorythree-factionthree-faction-pvpthree-factionstswtsw-chaos-theorytsw-dragonMon, 11 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0500319|20761744http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/eve-evolved-ghost-sites-and-pve-goals/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/eve-evolved-ghost-sites-and-pve-goals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/eve-evolved-ghost-sites-and-pve-goals/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
PvE in most MMOs revolves around killing hordes of NPCs for currency, XP, tokens, or loot, and EVE Online is no exception. Players can hunt for rare pirate ships in nullsec asteroid belts, farm Sansha incursions for ISK and loyalty points, or team up against Sleeper ships in dangerous wormhole space, but most prefer the safe and steady income of mission-running. Missions are essentially repeatable quests that can be spawned on request, providing an endless stream of bad guys to blow up in the comfort of high-security space.

Completing a mission will earn you some ISK and a few hundred or thousand loyalty points, but most of the ISK in mission-running comes from the bounties on the NPCs spawned in the mission sites. Similar deadspace sites with better loot are also distributed randomly throughout the galaxy and can be tracked down using scanner probes. But what would happen if the NPCs in these sites were a dangerous and unexpected interference that could get you killed, rather than space piñatas ready to explode in a shower of ISK? This is a question CCP plans to test with the Rubicon expansion's upcoming Ghost Sites feature, which promises to introduce a whole new form of high-risk, high-reward PvE.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at EVE's upcoming ghost sites and explain why I think its goal-oriented approach to PvE should be adopted in other areas of the game.

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ascendancybooby-trapbountiesbountyccpccp-affinityccp-gamescosmic-anomalydeadspacedeadspace-complexeconomyeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexplorationfarmingfeaturedgame-mechanicsghost-sitesgoal-orientedgoalsgrindinggroup-pvehackingimplantincursionsinflationisk-faucetisk-sinklootmission-runningmissionsnpcnpcsopinionprobingpvepve-goalsquestquestsrare-itemsrare-spawnsrepeatable-questsrubiconsandboxscanningsci-fisystem-scannertrapSun, 10 Nov 2013 18:00:00 -0500319|20764691http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/20/the-daily-grind-what-npc-faction-amuses-you-the-most/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/20/the-daily-grind-what-npc-faction-amuses-you-the-most/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/20/the-daily-grind-what-npc-faction-amuses-you-the-most/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
As of late I've been getting reacquainted with the crazy fun that is Fallen Earth. One of the things that I love about this game world is its off-kilter citizens who have mentally derailed since the apocalypse. There's a faction called the CoGs that I'm quite fond of, mostly for the fact that they worship old technology.

You see, Fallen Earth takes place enough after the end of the world so that people don't really have an idea what the world was like beforehand. So the CoGs have collected cell phones and computers and cars without totally understanding what they all do. But boy do they love them and want to see their "gods" rebuilt to their former glory.

So what NPC faction amuses you the most and why?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

If this comes as a shock, possibly one that invites shock and horror, I apologize. But I love comics. We have bookshelves filled with comics in my house, I spend a lot of my free time reading comics, and I know a fair bit about comics. Not even close to everything, though, which is half the fun of comics in general. There's always more to learn, always something great that you've never heard of.

The point I'm slowly getting to here is that I was pretty excited when WildStar started up a comic. I think this is something that more games should do because comics lend themselves to MMOs pretty naturally. So what's good, what's mediocre, and what's bad in the comics that are running thus far? Even with just two weeks of comics I've already formed some pretty strong opinions about this stuff.

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backstorycarbinecarbine-studioscharacterscolumncomicscomixfeaturedlorelore-figuresncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphnpcsopinionrevealssandparksci-fantasysci-fistorythe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 09 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0400319|20714718http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/11/the-daily-grind-should-npcs-change/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/11/the-daily-grind-should-npcs-change/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/11/the-daily-grind-should-npcs-change/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
One of the aspects that I've loved about the recent books of Lord of the Rings Online's epic story is that it's provided my character with an interesting and persistent NPC fellowship. Traveling with constant companions, even if they're virtual ones, is much preferable to wandering alone, especially if said companions grow and develop over time. I was rooting for the simmering romance between Horn and Nona, if only so that they'd stop acting like high school drama students performing some weird Shakespeare play. Just kiss already, darn it!

Today I'd like the Massively class to discuss change in our NPCs. Is it a welcome factor to have one of these characters grow, develop, and have their own virtual lives? Or would that be a bad idea because... reasons?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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daily-grindf2pfantasyfree-to-playhornlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrononanpcnpcsopiniontdgthe-daily-grindturbineturbine-entertainmentSun, 11 Aug 2013 08:00:00 -0400319|20686586http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/mark-jacobs-camelot-unchained-can-succeed-with-just-50k-subs/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/mark-jacobs-camelot-unchained-can-succeed-with-just-50k-subs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/mark-jacobs-camelot-unchained-can-succeed-with-just-50k-subs/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
In a recent interview, Mark Jacobs stated that unlike some other big titles, Camelot Unchained will be financially successful with fewer paid subscribers. "We don't need one million subs to make money," he said. "If we get 50K paying subscribers a month it will justify the $5 million development budget." Of course, he admitted that they'd certainly be happy with more.

Jacobs also touched on other topics, including crafting and the absence of PvE. Players who want to both fight and craft extensively will need to rely on alts. as fighters will have limited crafting options. And don't think the world will be empty just because there will be no traditional PvE; Jacobs assured that there will be NPCs, noting "You can skin them, get materials off them, salvage their weapons, armor, etc. but you cannot level your RvR skills by doing that."

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camelotcamelot-unchainedcity-statecity-state-entertainmentcraftingcseinterviewmark-jacobsNPCsonly-50k-subspvprvrFri, 12 Apr 2013 10:30:00 -0400319|20538654http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-looks-at-makebs-movers-and-shakers/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-looks-at-makebs-movers-and-shakers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-looks-at-makebs-movers-and-shakers/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsStar Wars: The Old Republic's expansion is sending players into a three-way warzone between the Empire, the Republic, and the Hutt Cartel. Winning that war will require getting the right friends and eliminating the right enemies. Whether you're an early order getting to jump in tomorrow or a player waiting until the official launch, you can benefit from a crash course on some persons of interest on Makeb, courtesy of Imperial Intelligence.

Considering the focus on the Hutt Cartel, it's unsurprising that two of the most prominent figures are Hutts -- Szajin and Toborro. Szajin bucks the usual Hutt trend of self-serving greed, modeling himself as a partisan for his people across the galaxy without concern for profit. Toborro, meanwhile, sits at the top of all operations on Makeb, setting himself as a personal lord for the Hutts to rally behind as the Cartel expands its influence. Check out the full intel rundown for more details on the Hutts as well as other persons of note.

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backstorybiowareeaelectronic-artsexpansionf2pflavorfree-to-playhutt-cartelimportant-peoplelorelucasartsnpcsrise-of-the-hutt-cartelrothcsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorMon, 08 Apr 2013 19:00:00 -0400319|20534218http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/fox-news-discusses-star-wars-the-old-republics-gay-expansion-p/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/fox-news-discusses-star-wars-the-old-republics-gay-expansion-p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/fox-news-discusses-star-wars-the-old-republics-gay-expansion-p/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsStar Wars: The Old Republic fans already know that Makeb is the Planet of Gay, containing far more gay than even the fabled Gay Level on Coruscant. Or perhaps it's just the sight of the game's upcoming expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, which will feature the first implementation of same-gender romances in the game. These romances will be limited to characters already on the planet rather than new or existing companions. This is not new information for most players. However, it's news to Fox News, whose take on the planet's status is... slightly different.

According to Fox News, Makeb will be the "gay planet" added in the expansion, likening the current limitation of this new content to segregation and noting that many players are opposed the inclusion of same-sex relationships in the game. There is no mention of the number of players requesting the feature, nor of the variety of (presumably) non-gay quests and content available on Makeb. In short, it's missing a number of nuances regarding the situation, something that might be good for a raised eyebrow or two from fans and detractors alike.

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biowarecontroversyculturedetailsdialogueeaelectronic-artsf2pfree-to-playhomosexualityhutt-cartellucasartsmakebnpcsrelationshipsrise-of-the-hutt-cartelromancesame-gender-romancesci-fisgrstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorMon, 14 Jan 2013 18:00:00 -0500319|20428640http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/12/the-mog-log-over-analyzing-the-final-fantasy-xiv-trailer/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/12/the-mog-log-over-analyzing-the-final-fantasy-xiv-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/12/the-mog-log-over-analyzing-the-final-fantasy-xiv-trailer/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Sadly, January 7th did not see the release of the new Final Fantasy XIV benchmark. It did, however, see the release of both the beta tester application and the full trailer for the new version, both of which are relevant to the interests of any Final Fantasy XIV fan. The trailer is likely of greater interest, seeing as how most current fans are likely already flagged as Legacy players and thus don't need to apply for testing, but the point is that both are out there.

Of course, the new opening movie is the only piece of information we've had about the game for a little while, but it seems worth analyzing and examining even on its own merits. No, I'm not talking about speculating as to whether or not the guy on the horse who looks exactly like Odin is in fact Odin or not (spoiler, doy). I want to talk about what this means for the lore, what the overall effect is, and whether or not this monster of a trailer succeeds at what it's meant to do.

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a-realm-rebornbackstoryconsoleconsolesfantasyfeaturedffffxiv-version-2.0final-fantasyloremog-lognpcsodinopinionquibblessettingsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logtotes-odintrailertrailer-analysistrailersSat, 12 Jan 2013 18:00:00 -0500319|20425731http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/24/the-mog-log-the-story-so-far-and-yet-to-come-in-final-fantasy/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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I have several friends who don't play Final Fantasy XIV but still saw the trailer ending the first version. After all, it's been hard to miss. Almost every single person has said the same thing: "It was awesome. I have absolutely no idea what was going on with any of it, but it looked really cool."

This isn't just because Final Fantasy XIV isn't in their rotations. Final Fantasy games are usually dense pieces of work, filled with references back and forth that make sense only if you know all of the players involved and have a solid understanding of the game's magical whoosits. If you've missed some steps along the way to the ending trailer, it's easy to watch and not understand what actually went down, and even if you did, there were some parts that could be really easily missed.

So let's take a step back and look at the story so far. It's not the same as playing through the story for the past two years, but it should at least clarify what in the world happened.

Having hit level 80 on one character, finished the personal storyline, delved into dungeons, been handed my backside in PvP, conquered keeps in WvW, and run around like a chipmunk on crack with multiple alts, I feel that I am totally in a position to pass absolute judgment on Guild Wars 2.

Well, I've at least had enough time to draw some firm opinions about the game. There are a lot of things I like, but there are also things I wish were different. This is by no means a conclusive list of those things. What are they? You'll never know unless you skip below the jump. Go on. You know you want to.

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anetarenanetcamerafantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesfor-seriouslyguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-wishlistgwgw1gw2gw2-wishlistI-really-do-like-the-gamelogan-can-stay-deadncsoftnpcnpcsopinionorrraviousravious-makes-a-good-pointspoilerstrahearnewhen-Im-not-fair-its-because-Im-busy-being-funwishlistzhaitanTue, 02 Oct 2012 16:00:00 -0400319|20332906http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-daily-grind-what-characters-do-you-love-to-hate/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-daily-grind-what-characters-do-you-love-to-hate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-daily-grind-what-characters-do-you-love-to-hate/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsKaliyo Djannis is one of my favorite companions in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Not because I like her as a person; she's really pretty unambiguously awful. But she's entertainingly awful, and working around the hindrances she provides makes the overall experience more entertaining.

Every MMO has its important NPCs, and some of them either are just plain annoying or fade into the woodwork. But then there are the enemies you love to hate, the allies who frustrate you in amusing ways. Some of the Guild Wars henchmen (Orion and Alesia in particular) were half-useless, but charmingly so. Every Final Fantasy XI player got nightmares about running from goblins, but they had a strange charm despite that.

So what about you? What's your favorite character whom you love to hate? An ally who's totally useless but makes life more interesting? An enemy who kills you in entertaining ways? Or just a story character who prompts a smile at his or her ineptitude?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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characterscomedyculturedaily-grindentertainmenthumornpc-amusementnpcsopiniontdgthe-daily-grindunintentional-comedyTue, 02 Oct 2012 08:00:00 -0400319|20338594http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/wildstar-discusses-the-exotic-and-alien-human-race/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Humans are the standard basis for comparison in games that feature non-human races, almost as if said games were being made by humans for other humans. But there's still a distinct flavor to the human race depending on the setting. Case in point, the latest WildStar "interview" with one of the three lore characters from the cinematic trailer gives players a peek at a typical human, and he's a bit different than what you might have been expecting.

While the other major characters identify a specific world as "home," humans are portrayed as being a bit more free-forming, having roamed out in space for so long that they're really not bound to a location. The entry also discusses some of the lore behind being an Explorer and some of the perils associated with intentionally venturing into the unknown (it involves lots of things that try to eat you, if you need the short version). If you've been enjoying the flavor of the world Carbine Studios is slowly building, you'll probably enjoy this latest look as well.

You saved the wee turtles! I hope you gently, lovingly kicked them as hard as you possibly could.

Even though Cataclysm signified death and disaster for many beloved NPCs, the expansion introduced many, many others to take their places -- like Mylune, pictured above. Mylune is pretty much my favorite new NPC this expansion, because you really can't do a quest for Mylune without cracking up at her quest text and reactions to your efforts to save all the beloved little animals of Hyjal. Mylune's not just a dryad -- she's got big personality that is reflected through every word of quest text.

But she's not the only one. Take, for example, Johnny Awesome over in Hillsbrad Foothills -- or any of the three "players" you encounter during the Welcome to the Machine quest, really. All of them are reflections of us, in a hysterical, larger-than-life way. Or Lorna Crowley, who introduced herself in Gilneas City with a flower in her hair and a shotgun in her hands. Or Salhet, the weak link in the Tol'vir army who tries his best, even if he isn't amazing at hand-to-hand combat.

There were tons of new NPCs introduced with Cataclysm, but Mylune stands out as one of my favorites, just because she makes me recall the first time I ever clicked on a dryad in vanilla WoW and was greeted with a cheery "Hi there!" in reply. Do you have a favorite NPC that was introduced with Cataclysm? Who stands out in your mind?

While I was writing last Sunday's Know Your Lore, I started thinking about the world of Azeroth and how much it's changed with Cataclysm. I think one of the most poignant moments of the new expansion for me was playing through the new Darkshore, honestly. Darkshore was one of the zones I leveled in with my very first character way back in vanilla -- and to be perfectly honest, the zone totally stank. I hated almost every minute of it. The running back and forth was ridiculous, and please don't get me started about the Tower of Althalaxx or The Sleeper Has Awakened.

Yet despite the pains of leveling up in the area, despite the soul-crushing annoyance of Deep Ocean, Vast Sea and other quests, I was sort of attached to these NPCs that were sending me on all these wretched missions. And when I played through Darkshore in Cataclysm and saw so many of those old faces dying or gone, it was almost heartbreaking in a way. Which I'm sure is exactly as intended, but there's a part of me that wistfully wishes I could see those old faces again.

I think the NPC I miss the most is Mr. Smite from The Deadmines, pictured above. I mentioned it briefly in Know Your Lore, too. The Deadmines was the first instance I ever ran, and the moment I blew open the doors and first set eyes on a pirate ship in the middle of a mountain was one I really won't ever forget. Part of that moment was Smite's bellow of alarm and the subsequent rush of pirates. Plus Smite's encounter, in which he Warstomped and stunned players long enough to go dig up a bigger, better weapon for smushing, was one of the more memorable encounters from the vanilla instances.

Is this something you've thought about? Are there any NPCs you were particularly attached to? In an expansion where so many are long gone and will never been seen again, which NPCs do you miss the most?

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darkshoredeadminesfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionmr-smitenpcsworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topicsTue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 -050099|20154182http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/city-of-heroes-performs-death-of-a-statesman/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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He's been the face on the package, the man on the cover, the big guy above all other big guys. But today, he is no more. Statesman, the most iconic hero in the City of Heroes lore, is going to meet his end, and it's time for everyone to say goodbye. Episode 5 of the signature story arc is live today, and while the titular question "Who Will Die?" has been answered, it's time to see what happens when Statesman does meet his end.

There's more to do than just go play through the arc, however. A new issue of the Intrepid Informer is available in which Matt Miller discusses why the team decided that now is the right time to kill off the game's biggest hero. And if you need a little more help catching up with the story so far, the final vidoc on the arc is embedded just past the cut, giving players a recap of what the Freedom Phalanx is, what is represents, and what this death means for Paragon City.

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backstorycity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-freedomcity-of-villainscohcovcoxfreedom-phalanxintrepid-informerlorelore-characterslore-figuresmatt-millerncsoftnpcsparagonparagon-studiospatchesplotsignature-story-arcstatesmanupdateswho-will-dieTue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 -0500319|20150538http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/breakfast-topic-would-you-vote-kick-that-npc-from-your-party/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
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Pokey-slow NPCs on escort quests have long been the butt of player jokes, but with more extensive NPC participation in the patch 4.3 5-mans, I've started wondering if things are going from bad to worse. Shortly after patch 4.3 hit, I wrote on Twitter that Tyrande, Illidan, and Malfurion in the Well of Eternity are all shining examples of players who would be vote-kicked from the average PUG.

Really! Think about it:

Tyrande runs out of arrows, still manages to pull aggro, and then stops DPSing entirely past a certain point during the Mannoroth fight.

Malfurion goes AFK before the boss fight and then (conveniently enough) shows up while loot is being distributed.

So does this mean that the average person with a bit of common sense is a better player than three major lore figures? I think it kinda does. This is not to say that all NPC participation in your questing or 5-mans is bad (Anduin Wrynn during the Alliance's pre-Twilight Highlands quests is pretty cool), but I hope this isn't a sign of more to come. Oh, and Thrall -- epic ground mounts are not expensive these days. You have no excuse.